PsychoYP
{{Short description|Nigerian rapper}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = PsychoYP
| background = solo_singer
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Nicholas Ihua-Maduenyi
| alias = Psycho
| birth_date = {{ birth date and age|df=yes|1998|10|28}}
| birth_place = Abuja, Nigeria
| origin =
| genre = {{hlist|Alternative hip hop|alté|afropop|afroswing|trap|drill}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|singer|songwriter}}
| years_active = 2017–present
| associated_acts = Ayuu
| website =
| label = Apex Village
| instrument =
}}
Nicholas Ihua-Maduenyi{{cite web |last1=Boluwatife |first1=Adeyemi |title=PsychoYP is the Chosen One |url=https://www.bounceradiolive.com/post/psychoyp-is-the-chosen-one |website=Bounce! |access-date=26 November 2022 |language=en |date=10 November 2021}} (born 28 October 1998), widely known as PsychoYP, is a Nigerian alternative hip hop rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is a member of the music collective Apex Village.{{cite web |last1=Kelly |first1=Christopher |title=PsychoYP Is at the Apex of Alté Cruise Counterculture and He Ain't Coming Down |url=https://culted.com/psychoyp-is-at-the-apex-of-alte-cruise-counterculture-and-he-aint-coming-down/ |website=Culted |access-date=26 November 2022 |date=28 May 2022}} He came into the music scene with a critically acclaimed mixtape, YPSZN, which earned him a nomination at the SAMAs, and the Headies for his second fit album YPSZN2. Dubbed "The Fresh Prince of Nigerian Rap",{{cite web |title=The Fresh Prince of Nigerian Rap: The Psycho YP Story |url=https://culturecustodian.com/pyscho-yp-fresh-prince-of-nigerian-rap/ |website=The Culture Custodian |access-date=2 November 2022 |date=29 July 2019}} he is regarded as one of Nigeria's rap music pioneers in the alté music scene.
Early life
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#ACE1AF|salign=center
|quote = Music came to me when I found like-minded friends that also had a passion for it. Together we found where we could record and make what we wanted. I decided it was for me as soon as I started making what I knew would be Psycho YP’s sound. That was around 2016.
|source = — The Guardian{{cite web |title=Nigeria needs to embrace hip-hop, other alternative genres - Psycho YP |url=https://guardian.ng/sunday-magazine/nigeria-needs-to-embrace-hip-hop-other-alternative-genres-psycho-yp/ |website=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian Saturday Magazine |access-date=2 November 2022 |date=4 July 2021}}
|width = 25%
|align = right
}}
Ihua-Maduenyi was born on 28 October 1998 in Abuja, and comes from Rivers State. While in secondary school in 2013, he met with Kuddi Is Dead, a member of Apex Village.{{cite web |last1=Storm |first1=Camille |title=Interview: PsychoYP Wants to Lead the New Wave of Nigerian Hip-Hop |url=https://www.okayafrica.com/nigerian-music-hip-hop-psychoyp-interview/ |website=OkayAfrica |access-date=2 November 2022 |language=en |date=19 December 2019}} In an interview with OkayAfrica, he said "as a kid, I was always around music. My mum would play Nigerian music, music from other African countries, and foreign music. I like to think she played a big role in putting me on this path by being in love with music. We'd have P-Square, Michael Jackson, Drake, and Lil Wayne (to name a few) on repeat every weekend. My two siblings and I all had experience with singing and rapping, but something about it just kept me going".
Career
YP is an acronym for "Yung Papi".{{cite web |last1=Laketu |first1=Adedayo |title=IN Due Time with PsychoYP |url=https://www.morebranches.com/in-due-time-with-psychoyp/ |website=MoreBranches |access-date=24 November 2022 |date=20 September 2017}} In 2016, he launched his music career as a rapper on SoundCloud as Psycho, while based in Manchester, England,{{cite web |last1=Idowu |first1=Tomi |title=Psycho Overcomes The Sauce And Addresses A Side Chick on "Uber" |url=https://culturecustodian.com/psycho-uber/ |website=The Culture Custodian |access-date=4 November 2022 |date=27 March 2017}} and went on to release his EP "Lost In The Sauce" on 26 August 2016. In the following year, YP and Kuddi is Dead released a collaborative 4-track EP "This Is What You Wanted" on 21 May 2017,{{cite web |title=Psycho and Kuddi Is Dead Drift From Trap to Hip Hop on ‘This Is What You Wanted’ EP |url=https://culturecustodian.com/psycho-and-kuddi-this-is-what-you-wanted-ep/ |website=The Culture Custodian |access-date=26 November 2022 |date=22 May 2017}} and released a SoundCloud exclusive with "This Is What You Wanted II" on 21 February 2018, featuring Ayüü, Zilla Oaks, and Marv OTM.{{cite web |title=This Is What You Wanted II |url=https://soundcloud.com/thisiswhatyouwanted/albums |website=SoundCloud |access-date=26 November 2022 |language=en}} On 8 June 2018, he released "YPSZN",{{cite web |last1=Idowu |first1=Tomi |title=PsychoYP Is A Leader of His Class And His New Project ‘YPSZN’ Proves It |url=https://culturecustodian.com/psychoyp-ypszn/ |website=The Culture Custodian |access-date=26 November 2022 |date=8 June 2018}} with guest appearances from Fasina, Marv OTM, Denzel Oaks, Zilla Oaks, and Remy Baggins.{{cite web |title=PsychoYP's YPSZN Is Simplistic But Sophisticated |url=https://radrafrica.com/radrmusic/psychoyps-ypszn-is-simplistic-but-sophisticated/ |website=Radr Africa |access-date=26 November 2022 |date=21 June 2018}} The project spawned the hit track "Oga".
On the 28 October 2018, he released a music video for Oga, directed by Kuddi is Dead, and Lekinson. On 22 March 2019, he released "Oga (remix)" featuring Blaqbonez, and Ycee.{{cite web |title=PsychoYP Draws Verses From Dremo, YCee and Blaqbonez on ‘Oga Remix’ |url=https://culturecustodian.com/psychoyp-dremo-ycee-and-blaqbones-on-oga-remix/ |website=The Culture Custodian |access-date=26 November 2022 |date=22 March 2019}} On the 4th of November, 2019, he released "YPSZN2",{{cite web |last1=Alake |first1=Motolani |title='YPSZN2' is PsychoYP's manifesto to a larger market [Album Review] |url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/psychoyp-ypszn2-album-review-skales-blaqbonez-ladipoe-boj-and-terri-feature/081ewbh |website=Pulse Nigeria |access-date=26 November 2022 |language=en |date=7 November 2019}} with guest appearances from BOJ, Terri, Nathalie Sade, Dami Oniru, Ayüü, Zilla Oaks, Ladipoe, Skales, and Blaqbonez. On the 12th of November, 2020, YP and Azanti went on to release their self-titled debut EP "YP & Azanti, Vol. 1".{{cite web |last1=Alake |first1=Motolani |title=Psycho YP and Azanti present their chemistry on ‘YP & Azanti Vol. 1’ [EP Review] |url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/psycho-yp-and-azanti-yp-and-azanti-vol-1-ep-review/9683kyy |website=Pulse Nigeria |access-date=26 November 2022 |language=en |date=14 November 2020}} The extended play spawned the minor hit tracks "Caro", and "Focused". On the 11th of March, 2021, the official music video for "Caro" was released, directed by Cindy Ihua, and produced through Ceeander Entertainment, and Legacy Films.{{cite web |title=Watch PsychoYP & Azanti in the Fresh Visuals for "Caro" |url=https://www.morebranches.com/watch-psychoyp-azanti-in-the-fresh-visuals-for-caro/ |website=MoreBranches |access-date=26 November 2022 |date=12 March 2021}}
On 26 August 2021, YP released his first solo EP Euphoria,{{cite web |last1=Alake |first1=Motolani |title=On ‘Euphoria,’ Psycho YP has teeth and he bites hard [Pulse Album Review] |url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/review-psycho-yp-euphoria/1rsq5j5 |website=Pulse Nigeria |access-date=26 November 2022 |language=en |date=31 August 2021}} with guest appearances from Trill Tega, Rasstokyo, J Molley, PatricKxxLee, and Alpha P. On 20 December 2021, he headlined his first Lagos concert at Hard Rock Cafe in Nigeria,{{cite web |title=PsychoYP announces his first Lagos headline concert |url=https://www.morebranches.com/psychoyp-announces-his-first-lagos-headline-concert/ |website=MoreBranches |access-date=26 November 2022 |date=16 December 2021}} featuring guest appearances from Blaqbonez, Dremo, Laycon, Wurld, Alpha P, Terry Apala, Laime, Mojo, SGaWD, King Perryy, and many more. In 2022, he released his third mixtape album YPSZN3 on 2 November. The mixtape album's lead singles include "Bando Diaries", "IC3", and "Stronger", which features a guest vocal from Zlatan. On August 17, 2022 he collaborated with Favi and Hotkid on Crime.{{Cite web |last=Kanmodi |first=Funmilayo |date=2022-08-20 |title=FAVI Features Psycho YP On Latest Single 'Crime' {{!}} LISTEN! |url=https://notjustok.com/uncategorized/favi-features-psycho-yp-on-latest-single-crime-listen/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=NotjustOk |language=en-US}} On 8 November 2022, YPSZN3 debuted on the newly launched Nigeria TurnTable Top 50 chart at number 26.{{cite web |title=Nigeria Top 50 Albums |url=https://www.turntablecharts.com/charts/2 |website=www.turntablecharts.com |publisher=TurnTable Charts |access-date=19 November 2022}}
Artistry
PsychoYP is known for fusing Afrobeats, Afroswing, Hip hop, Trap, Grime, Drill and R&B,{{cite web |last1=Gorman |first1=Molly |title=PsychoYP on shaping his sound and the Nigerian music scene |url=https://www.missionstatementmagazine.co.uk/post/psychoyp-on-shaping-his-sound-and-the-nigerian-music-scene |website=Mission Statement |access-date=24 November 2022 |language=en |date=27 April 2022}} to create his musical element. In high school, his friends began calling him Yung Papi, and "Papi Chulo". Nicholas eventually picked up "Yung Papi" as an acronym for YP, before adopting Psycho, from a movie he watched to form the stage name PsychoYP. Nicholas "PsychoYP" cited the Nigerian rapper M.I, and the American rappers Drake, Lil Wayne, and Gucci Mane, as his musical influence and/or inspiration while growing up.{{cite web |last1=Bourdin |first1=Nils |title=PsychoYP, trap music in Abuja |url=https://pan-african-music.com/en/psychoyp-and-abuja-trap/ |website=PAM - Pan African Music |access-date=26 November 2022 |date=20 February 2020}}
Discography
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio extended plays, with selected details and chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"| Details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| NG |
|---|
| scope="row"|Euphoria
|
| |
=Collaborative EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of joint EPs, with selected details and chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Artists ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"| Details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| NG |
|---|
| PsychoYP & Kuddi Is Dead
!scope="row"|This Is What You Wanted |
| |
| PsychoYP & Kuddi Is Dead
!scope="row"|This Is What You Wanted II |
| |
| PsychoYP & Azanti
!scope="row"|YP & Azanti, Vol. 1 |
| |
=Mixtapes=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of mixtapes, with selected details and chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"| Details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| NG |
|---|
| scope="row"|YPSZN
|
| |
| scope="row"|YPSZN2
|
| |
| scope="row"|YPSZN3
|
| 26 |
= Singles =
== As lead artist ==
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Award !Category !Nominee/Work !Result | |
| rowspan="2" |2018
|rowspan="2" |Nigerian Teens Choice Awards |Choice Fast Rising Artist |rowspan="2" |Himself |{{nom}} | |
| Choice Hip Hop Artist
|{{nom}} | |
| rowspan="2" |2020 | South African Music Awards
|Rest Of Africa Artist |Himself for YPSZN2 |{{nom}} |
| The Headies
|Best Rap Album |YPSZN2 |{{nom}} | |
| rowspan="2" |2023
|rowspan="2" |The Headies |"Bando Diaries" |{{pending}} | |
| Best Rap Album
|YPSZN3 |{{pending}} |
= Featured in =
- Crime By Favi{{Cite web |last=Online |first=Tribune |date=2023-06-20 |title=Authenticity, ambition: Favi marks new era in career with new single ‘Omo Oro |url=https://tribuneonlineng.com/authenticity-ambition-favi-marks-new-era-in-career-with-new-single-omo-oro/ |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=Tribune Online |language=en-GB}}